For folks that enjoy quality action films, there aren’t very many that are better than the first “Lethal Weapon.” Not only did that film solidify Mel Gibson as an A-lister and give us iconic scenes and lines such as “I’m too old for this shit!” but the film is just an almost pitch-perfect blend of action and comedy that would lay the groundwork for an avalanche of imitators in the years after. Well, if Warner Bros. has its way, there’s a strong possibility that Gibson and his co-star Danny Glover might return one last time to show folks how it’s done. Speaking with THR, producer Dan Lin talked about how the studio is working on a fifth and final “Lethal Weapon” film, which would arrive more than 20 years after the fourth. And to get those action fans super excited, it appears that not only will Gibson and Glover return, but director Richard Donner, who helmed all four of the previous films is onboard to direct the fifth “Lethal Weapon” also.
“We’re trying to make the last ‘Lethal Weapon’ movie,” said the producer. “And Dick Donner’s coming back. The original cast is coming back. And it’s just amazing. The story itself is very personal to him. Mel and Danny are ready to go, so it’s about the script.”
The last we heard about a possible “Lethal Weapon 5” was more than 2 years ago when it was being reported that Gibson, Glover, and Donner were circling the project. Of course, that didn’t happen at the time.
A month ago, if someone were to say that “Lethal Weapon 5” would be in development, I would have been excited on the inside (I’m a huge sucker for the franchise), but scoffed at the idea publicly. You see, after the failures of “Men in Black: International” and “Terminator: Dark Fate,” there seemed to be a trend forming of long-awaited sequels greatly underperforming at the box office and, in the case of ‘MiB’ in particular, being incredibly subpar films. But then “Bad Boys For Life” happened and it’s clear that there’s an audience that still craves a good buddy cop film with familiar faces. Even if it is two decades later.
So, if ‘Bad Boys’ has proven anything, it’s that these sequels that wait 20 years can actually work if done right. And hopefully, with Donner, Glover, and Gibson on board, they’re not going to make a film that would do anything to sully the legacy of “Lethal Weapon.”
